IMG had a fruitful trip to BioWare HQ to see the online RPG Neverwinter Nights in action, and we have returned with the spoils of war. Brimming with exclusive details, screen shots and actual video footage of the game in action, this detailed report is sure to entice even those who consider RPGs to be purely geek territory. Backed by the strong storylines of RPG masters BioWare and laid upon the foundation of the 3rd Edition D&D rule set, this game is sure to be one of the stunners of 2002. Here's an excerpt:

Interestingly, players will be able to use the same characters in both single- and multiplayer games. In the past this has been an issue, particularly in Blizzard's first Diablo title, wherein people used unofficial tools to edit the stats of their characters to cheat online, ruining the fun for those who wished to play the game legitimately (as cheating tends to do). But BioWare has developed a unique system to prevent cheating while still allowing players to play their characters both online and offline: characters are 'checked-out' when a multiplayer game session comes to an end, and are automatically 'checked-in' when you join another multiplayer game. If the stats have changed too much in the amount of game time that has been logged offline, the characters are rejected and you don't get to play. The exact details of this anti-cheating scheme are, of course, top secret. :)